Redazione RHC : 19 July 2025 09:55
The increasingly widespread use of digital technologies has opened up new opportunities for cybercriminals operating online, giving rise to a veritable cybercrime ecosystem. In this context, various actors can jeopardize the cybersecurity of individuals, businesses, and governments.
In this article, we will focus on the three main categories of cybercriminals: those who act for profit, hacktivists who use their skills for political or social purposes, and state-sponsored hackers, who operate on behalf of governments or state organizations.
We will analyze the modus operandi of each of these actors, their motivations, the damage they can cause, and the consequences of their actions on society and international politics. We’ll also discuss the laws governing hacker activity and measures that can be taken to protect citizens’ data and privacy.
The difference between “hacker” and “cybercriminal” is important to understand before delving into the differences between the types of cybercrime.
In general, a hacker is a person who wants to overcome obstacles with intellect, artistry, and ingenuity, often motivated by an ethical purpose and thus improve the technologies they work with. The hacker, therefore, can be considered an innovator.
Hacking, in this sense, is present in all disciplines, not just in IT. For example, a hacker might be an artist who uses unconventional materials to create works of art, or an engineer who invents new ways to solve technical problems, or a musician who creates a new instrument to generate new melodies.
A cybercriminal, on the other hand, is a hacker who uses these skills to commit crimes, often for profit. This may include stealing personal or financial information, damaging computer systems, or spreading computer viruses. Unlike ethical hackers, cybercriminals seek to breach computer systems for their own gain, often financial, rather than to generate value for the entire community.
In short, hacking is a skill that can be used for both noble and illicit purposes.
“Profitable cybercriminals” are individuals or groups who use their computer skills to commit crimes for profit. These criminals seek to obtain money or other benefits through unauthorized access to victims’ computer systems or data.
Among the most common activities performed by cybercriminals for profit are the theft of sensitive data such as credit card numbers, passwords, financial or personal information, the spread of computer viruses, extortion of money from victims, hijacking web servers, and using victims’ computing resources for illicit activities.
Cybercriminals for profit can act alone or in organized groups, often stealthily and anonymously. They use sophisticated hacking and social engineering techniques to deceive victims and penetrate computer systems. Their primary goal is to gain financial advantage, but the damage caused to victims can be significant, both financially and to their reputation.
National state actors are state actors that use their cyber resources and capabilities to pursue foreign policy or national security objectives through hacking and cyber espionage. These actors include governments, intelligence agencies, and the military, seeking to acquire confidential information (such as intellectual property) or damage their adversaries’ critical infrastructure.
National state actors use sophisticated hacking and social engineering techniques to compromise their targets’ computer systems, and can operate both covertly and stealthily, as well as openly and overtly. Their hacking activities may include the theft of sensitive information, data manipulation, communications interception, sabotage of critical infrastructure, and other cyber espionage activities.
National state actors can act independently or in collaboration with other state or non-state actors. Their activities can cause significant damage to national security and the privacy of those involved.
“Hacktivists” are individuals or groups of hackers who use their cyber skills to pursue political, social, or cultural activism. “Hacktivists” seek to use hacking techniques to promote free speech, transparency, social justice, and other political goals through direct action online.
The CDC “Hacktivism Statement,” or “Cult of the Dead Cow,” was a statement published in 1996 by a group of American hackers that helped define the concept of “hacktivism.” The declaration established a set of core principles for hacktivist action, including defending freedom of expression and protecting online privacy.
The hacktivist movement arose in the mid-1990s, when increasing internet access allowed more and more people to access information and communicate with each other. Many hacker groups began using their cyber skills to advance political and social goals, such as the fight for freedom of expression, transparency, and social justice.
Over the years, the hacktivist movement has grown and evolved, taking on different forms and using different tactics to achieve its goals. Hacktivists’ activities include defacement of websites, dissemination of classified information, creation of free software, and organization of online protests.
The hacktivist movement has generated debate about the legitimacy and effectiveness of online direct action, but has also helped raise awareness of important political and social issues, such as freedom of expression, privacy, and social justice.
In Italy, cybercrime is regulated by the Criminal Code and Law 48/2008, which introduced new provisions on cybercrime and cybersecurity.
The Italian Criminal Code provides for various types of cybercrime, including unauthorized access to a computer system, violation of computer secrets, dissemination of computer viruses, computer fraud, computer damage, computer fraud, and other computer crimes.
Law 48/2008 introduced the crime of “cyberstalking,” or the electronic stalking of a person, and regulated the retention of electronic communications traffic data, including Internet browsing data.
In Italy, the competent authorities for investigations and prosecutions in cybercrime are the Postal and Communications Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the competent Court.
It is important to emphasize that cybercrime is a constantly evolving reality and that Italian legislation It evolves accordingly, in order to counter the new threats and new forms of cybercrime that constantly emerge.
In conclusion, we have seen that the world of cybercrime is made up of different actors, including profit-driven cybercriminals, hacktivists, and state-sponsored hackers, each with different motivations and objectives. We have also analyzed cybercrime laws in Italy, which have evolved over the years to counter new cyber threats.
It is clear that cybersecurity has become an increasingly important issue, both for businesses and government institutions. It is therefore essential that companies and government agencies equip themselves with adequate tools and policies to protect their IT systems and their users’ sensitive data.
Furthermore, it is important to raise public awareness of cybersecurity issues to prevent the risk of falling victim to cyber attacks. Only through greater awareness and attention to cybersecurity issues will it be possible to effectively counter the growing threat of cybercrime.
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